Stuck
by vampboy
Summary: Dedicated to Anna Black. Hermione and Draco get lost in the woods. Interesting things occur. None Hermione/Draco.


A\N: This fic is dedicated to Anna Black a good friend and a great Beta. She changed my writing style by being my Beta-reader so I'm dedicating this one shot to her. *Blushes* I hope she likes it.

**STUCK**

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"Stupid Mudblood." Draco said to Hermione as she ran out of the great hall.

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            "What are you doing here Malfoy?" Hermione wiped at her tear stained face. She'd been at the edge of the forbidden forest crying since the incident in the great hall a half-hour ago.

            "Not looking for you." He said as he glared coldly.

            "Then why are you out here," Hermione glared right back.

            "I needed a walk," Draco still didn't leave.

"Well then go the other way and leave me alone," She said as cruelly as she could.

            "I Like it here," He sat down against a tree to the left of Hermione.

            "Why?" She glared at him. 

            "It's upwind from all the Mudbloods," Draco said cruelly.

            "Get stuffed Malfoy," Hermione didn't even look at Draco as she spoke just kind of stared at the ground.

            "Bookworm," He didn't sound quite as cruel.

            "Why do you do it?" Hermione asked.

            Draco didn't look up just said. "What?"

            "Hate muggle born and half bloods?"

            "Because you're one!" He said cruelly.

            "Just leave me alone," Hermione jumped up and started deeper into the forbidden forest. Draco followed behind her.

            After about a hundred feet Hermione picked up her pace and after a couple of seconds tripped and fell over a tree root. Draco rushed up and pulled her to her feet then quickly turned away.

            "I don't understand you," She said as she brushed her self off then wiped her still tear-stained face again.

            "So?" Draco said.

            "I guess it's best we keep it that way," She continued walking. Draco followed.

             "Why are you following me?" Hermione asked. After a second of silence she said. "I thought you'd be tired of me by now." More silence. "At least walk next to me I don't like you back there." Draco stayed silent just moved next to her. She smiled out of the corner of her mouth.

            "We shouldn't be here," Draco said after a couple of minutes of silence.

            "I know but I like it here," Hermione said." No one to insult me. Usually." She didn't mention that this was the farthest she ever went in. She usually just stayed near the edge by Hagrid's.

            "It's dangerous here especially for you," Draco drew his wand and looked around as if just realizing where they were. "We definetly shouldn't be here." He sounded really panicky.

            "Draco...it's ok," Hermione said comfortingly. She'd never thought she'd see Draco acting like this. "Nothing's going to happen we'll be fine. I've been here before you know."

            "This is different we need to go now," Draco reached for her hand but she pulled away.

            "Ok we'll go back," She headed toward the castle casting a wary eye on Draco.

            "Good," Draco stepped up right next to her. Almost protectively.

            "You don't have to be so up tight," Hermione told him.

            "Mudbloods do," Draco said regaining a lot of his arrogance suddenly.

            "Do you see me being up tight?" Hermione said.

            "The forest isn't safe for you're type." 

            "If you have forgotten I'm am more qualified to be in this place alone than you are...even if you did have your two goons with you. Where are your flunkies anyway?"

            "Probably making out," He answered. Hermione couldn't tell whether he was joking or not.

            "Why do you hate Muggle-borns?" Hermione asked again hoping for a better response.

            "Mudblood," was the only thing he said.

            "Don't call me that," Hermione said.

            "Why? Its what you are," Draco seemed to be back to his usual mean self.

            "Because I hate it why can't you just called me by my name. Hermione... in case you've forgotten," Hermione glared at him.

            "Granger," Was all he said.

            "That'll do pig that'll do," she insulted him and speed up slightly

            "Quiet mudbl---," He began but was cut off by the world around them spinning.

            "What happened?" Hermione asked after the spinning had stopped.

            "I think we accidentally stepped into an old spell," Draco said stumbling slightly after the spin.

            "Well I know that I mean what spell?" Hermione snapped.

            "How should I know?" Draco snapped. "I don't even know where we are."

            "Great we're lost in the forbidden forest at night," Hermione looked depressed.

            "This is your fault Granger," Draco said.

            "Why is it my fault?" Hermione said. "You're the one that followed me and then you chased me into the forest."

            "Well if you hadn't ran into the forest by yourself---" He began but stopped and turned away.

            Hermione didn't know what to say so she asked. "How do we find the castle?" 

            "Point Me," He said holding his wand flat in his hand. It spun around quickly then shot out of his hand. He barely caught it before it flew off. "Well that didn't work. Any other ideas?"

            "No. How do you know that spell?" She asked surprised that anyone else knew the spell. It was in a very obscure book.

            "I found it in a book," He said very quickly. Almost as if he were hiding something.

            "Try looking for the moon," He said glancing up as if he were eager to distract her.

            "There," She said after a couple of seconds of searching, He followed her finger to where she was pointing.

            "Know how to navigate by the moon?" He asked.

            "No. But people should start looking for me soon. And won't Crabbe and Goyle realize you aren't there?"

            "No. It should take them a few days to realize its not Easter break anymore," Draco said meanly.

            "They're not that stupid?" Hermione said incredulously.

            "Yeah they're that stupid," he said sitting down and turning away from her.

            "Oh," She sat down a foot or two in front of him. She shook a little bit and wished she had grabbed her cloak it was rather cold out here.

            "Here," he tossed her his sweater. He too had neglected to grab his cloak.

            "Why are you giving me this?" She asked a little that worried the sweater might be cursed.

            "You're cold. I'll start a fire," He got up and began using a severing charm on a nearby tree for firewood.

            "Oh," She wrapped the sweater around herself.

            After a few seconds of sitting there she started watching Draco. She noticed that every time he lifted his arms his T-shirt lifted just above his belt line. There were dark marks under his T-shirt like bruises. She could see the at his belt line that they were round like fists. She could only see two, one at his side and the other in the middle of his back. As she wondered about the bruises Draco finished cutting branches and brought them over using his wand he got a fire going.

            "Why didn't you just start a wood less fire," Hermione asked.

            "This doubles as a signal fire," He explained. "Also fire scares off a lot of beasts that may be about and the smoke will give them advance warning to stay away."

            "Or lead them to us," Hermione pointed out.

            "Would you rather freeze?"

            Hermione didn't answer.

            "Umm. Draco," Hermione said after a second, " While you were cutting wood I couldn't help but notice those bruises on your back." she paused.

            "And," Draco said sounding defensive.

            "Who hit you?" She asked.

            "No one would dare hit me!" He snarled losing any hint of the kindness he had shown a couple of minutes ago.

            "Listen Draco I'm not stupid and I know what abuse looks like. You need to tell someone. Professor Dumbledore." She began but Draco cut her off.

            "Knows nothing. Just leave me alone," Draco said.

            "'At least let me heal the marks on your back," She felt sorry for him.

            "No just leave me alone," He turned away from her.

            "Why not?" 

            "Because," 

            "Because what?"

            "I don't want them healed."

            "It'll only take a second to heal them." She insisted.

            "I don't want them healed right now," He yelled at her.

            "Will you tell a Professor at least?" Hermione asked him.

            "No!" Draco refused.

            "You have to do something!"    

            "No I don't," He said. "And don't tell anyone Mudblood."

            "Can't you at least be inventive when you insult me?" Hermione was losing her patience with him quickly.

            "Bitch," He said with a patronizing smile.

            "I said inventive part."

            "Don't insult me Mudblood,"

            "Why can't you call me something more inventive? Is that the best you can do?"

            "Bitch Mudblood," He said.

            "I'd hit you but seems you get enough of that," Hermione looked at Draco and was surprised to see him looking hurt.

            He opened his mouth but said nothing. He just closed his mouth and looked away.

            "I'm sorry that was a low blow," She said after a minute.

            "I don't need Mudblood sympathy," He said.

            "Listen Draco at least have someone look at them."

            "Why no one will care anyway," He looked at the ground.

            "You're wrong.  People care," She insisted.

            He didn't say anything.

            "Draco please just tell Professor Dumbledore?"

            "The fires dying down," Draco picked up a couple of already cut branches and threw them on the fire. After the fire starting blazing well again he leaned back and stared at the nearly full moon, which was now over head and very bright.

            "It's beautiful," Hermione said after a minute or two of staring.

            "Yeah," Draco agreed.

            "I always liked the moon," Hermione told him.

            "Me too," Draco said. "It's so beautiful and peaceful just sitting there quietly."

            There was a minute or two of silence.

            "It's my dad you know?" Draco said sitting up.

            "What?" Hermione sat up too.

            "My dad hits me," He was looking directly at her but not really more like through her. "When he gets drunk he hits me. Tells me I'm lousy and not worthy of the Malfoy name."

            "Draco. I'm sorry," Hermione said.

            "Don't be it's not you're fault," He said looking at her again.

            "All the same I am,"

            "Thanks," He smiled at her.

            "I know you don't want to but can you do something? Tell A Professor?" She didn't look at him just braced her self in case he got mad again.

            He didn't answer her just looked at the fire. 

            "Please?" She said. She didn't know why but she was worried about his safety.

            "Why do you care?" He asked. "I've never done anything nice for you. Why do you care what happens to me?"

            "You gave me your sweater when I was cold. You built the fire and helped me up off the ground," She said. 'I don't know why but you did them. They were nice things."

            "Yeah but I also insult you and you're friends."

            "Do you mean what you say?" Hermione asked. " Or is that you're father talking?"

             He went quiet again. They sat in silence for a few minutes. 

            "All my life I was taught that Mudblood was what Muggle borns and Half-bloods were. I never even thought to question it." Draco looked at the stars. There were half-formed tears in his eyes. "Now I don't even know what I think" Hermione didn't know what to say.

            "Whats that sound?" He asked suddenly. Hermione listened carefully and heard a faint whoosh. "Broomsticks!" He jumped up and Hermione followed quickly. They raised their wands and started shooting sparks up in the air. After a few seconds a figure circled their clearing twice and then fired up some of his own sparks. The figure then shot down and landed.

            "He didn't hurt you did he?" Harry asked moving between Draco and her.

            "No Harry I'm fine," She said.

            "I didn't touch her Potter," Draco sounded cold and mean again.

            "You better not have!" Harry looked at Draco threateningly.

            "Where's the castle?" Draco asked.

            "Over there. About half a mile," Harry pointed.

            "Good. And you can keep the sweater I have a ton just like it." He walked off into the woods where harry had pointed.

            "Good Riddance," Harry said then turned to look at Hermione. "Why would you go into the forbidden forest with Malfoy of all people? It's a good thing one of Ginny's friends saw you and him walk in here." 

            "Well Harry we didn't mean to get lost in here," She said.

            "Everyone's worried sick about you." Harry said. "They're searching the castle and they called in the quidditch teams for an air search."

            "Let's get back to the castle," Hermione said. "I'm tired."

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            Draco stood outside Professor Dumbledore's door. He had been trying all day to get up the courage to come here now he was afraid to knock. A prefect had told him the password and where to find it but he had no idea why. As this was the bravest and hardest thing he had ever done he was being very secretive about it. 

            Finally Draco steeled himself and reached out. He tapped the door with his knuckles. 

            "Come in," A kindly old voice sounded through the door.

            Draco grabbed the doorknob turned and pushed it open.

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End file.
